get ducks in a row

get (one's) ducks in a row

To take action to become well-organized, prepared, and/or up-to-date. We need to get our ducks in a row to ensure that there are no problems at home while we're gone on our trip.Make sure Finance gets their ducks in a row before the audit.

get one's ducks in a row

Fig. to get one's affairs in order or organized. Jane is organized. She really gets all her ducks in a row right away.You can't hope to go into a company and sell something until you get your ducks in a row.

get one's ducks in a row

Also, have one's ducks in a row. Complete one's preparations, become efficient and well organized, as in I'm trying to get my ducks in a row before I go to Europe. This synonym for get one's act together probably alludes to lining up target ducks in a shooting gallery. [Slang; 1970s]

All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional.